Spring clevis



March 13, 1945. I C. w. HOLTMAN 2,371,171

SPRING CLEVIS Filed Jan. 8, 1944 FIG. 2

z 22 3 I 14 Z6 |v /////7// V INVEN'I'OR CHJELES 14 f/OLTMAN BY M frpze 5 d? 1177mm Patented Mar. 13, 1945 i g. i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING CLEVIS Charles W. Holtman, Dayton,hio Application January 8 1944, Serial No. 517,519

(Granted under the actof March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) Claims.

The invention described herein may be manuparticularly to an improved construction and arrangement whereby the clevis pin may be more quickly and easily removed and returned to position.

In common practice, a clevis pin is held in the e clevis by providing the pin with a head on one end and either a nut or a transverse hole with a cotter pin therein on the other. In either case considerable time is required, when the clevis pin is to be removed, for first removing the nut or the cotter pin "as the case may be before the clevis pin may be withdrawn. Moreover, clevises of this kind are located in most inaccessible places, particularly in aircraft, often being in positions where only one hand may be gotten to them for removing the clevis pin and separatingthe part which the pin connects to the clevis.

It is therefore an object of this invention to v provide a resilient means for holding the clevis pin in its place against which only a relatively moderate manual efiort, which may be accomplished with one hand, need be exerted to withdraw the pin and separate orreassemble the parts.

ventional design is that, being completely separable from the clevis when removed from the pin hole, it is often lost.

It is therefore another object of the invention to so construct and arrangethe improved pin holding means-that it will retain the pin adjacent the pin hole evenwhen it becomes withdrawn from its place inthe clevis.

Clevises used on aircraft and automotive land vehicles have been well standardized; and it...

therefore becomes important that any improvement, which is to be attached to the clevis, be so made that no drilling, tapping or similar modification be required in the clevis itself.

It is therefore another object of the invention to so construct the resilient clevis holding means of my invention that it may be attached tov a standard clevis without any alteration of the clevis whatsoever.

Other objects and advantages will b seen as the invention is further described, reference being had to the drawing, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device before. it is assembled on a standard clevis.

Another drawback with the clevis pin of cona Fig. 2 is an axial section of a standard clevis with the improved pin holder thereon.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in section in Fig. 2. e

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawing.

Referring to Fig. 1, a single length of wire has one end formed into an open coil spring It]. 'A small portion of wire at the end of the last coil {2 of the spring is brought out beyond the spring diameter and formed with a single loop 14; the axis of the loop It being substantially normal to the axis of the spring In. The portion of the wire remaining after forming the spring 10 and loop M is extended to form a cantilever parallel to the axis of the spring as at I6. The outer end of the cantilever is formed into an oval shape It.

A clevis pin 20 has a transverse clearance hole 22 through which. the part [6 passes loosely. The part It must be extended through the hole 22 before the oval shape I8 is formed on the end. With this construction th clevis pin mayn'ot he accidentally dropped and lost, but must always remain proximate the place where it is used. The parts described with reference to Fig. 1 are the novel features of the invention. The assembly Fig. 2 shows these parts inoperative position on a standard clevis.

In Fig. 2, the clevis 24 is of standard for m and comprises a hub-26 which has an annular rib 28 at the outer end and a pair of prongs 30 extending from the inner end. An axially transverse hole 32 is provided at the outer ends of the prongs for the clevis pin 20. A clevis ended'rod 34 is shown held in position in the clevis by the clevis pin.

In winding the coil spring ID, the inside diameter of the coils is made slightly less than the outside diameter of the hub 26, and the length of the spring is'such that the first coil 36 bears againstthe rib 28 while the last coil l2 bears against the shoulder 38 formed at the juncture between the hub 26 and the prongs 30. r

In combining a novel unit, as shown in Fig. 1, with a standard clevi as assembled 'in- Fig.2; it is necessary that the spring 10 be expanded, preferably with some appropriate expanding tool, to a larger diameter in orderthat the hub 25 may be inserted, and it is, of course, necessary to exercise care that the spring, in this operation, be not expanded beyond its elastic limit, so that whenthe hub is entered, and the expanding tool is removed, the spring will grip the to the hub without having in any manner altered or modified any part of the clevis. The annular rib 28 and the shoulder 38 prevent axial movement ofthe spring ID on the hub 26 and the grip of the coils of the spring oppose both axial movement of the pring and rotation on the hub.

The desirability of the device is obvious. In order to uniastenxa connection-employing the improved 1 device herein shown; the mechanic need only grasp the clevis ended rod 34 with the of the prongs transverse to the hub axis, an improved clevis pin and'holder, said pin having a hole transverse to itsaxis and said holder be ing made of a single piece of spring wire, one end of which is formed into a hub gripping means in the form of a helical coil spring having,;an-*insidediameter-slightly less than the outside diameter of said hub and a length to substantially fill the space between said rib and fingers, and, with the tip of his thumb, push: loathe point of attachment of said prongs, the mid the oval thumb piece l8 outwardly until thecrodc The clevis pin will be returnedtothe position shown in Fig. 2 by th'ersprins-;,parts- 34- is free.

l4 and I6 when the thumb, piece l8 is released. after the rod is free, or, if the'clevispimis inadvertently completely withdrawn fromn the:

clevis the oval thumb piece will prevent the pin being lost. These are valuable features,- particularly when employed in inaccessible places" thespring ,oil-the. huh-without destroying, the,

operativenesspt'the devicei. Likewise, the single loop l4 might. beeomitted and still; have flexibility-enough. inthe part lttopermitwithdrawal oftthe pin 120.",

Having thiswiewsohthe scopeoi the invention,

1. For. use-,witnal clevis-of the ,typehaving ,a hub with-.awtwot pronged, fork extending substantially in an axial direction; from. one end,

and having, cleviscpinl, holes: extending through the freer=ends -0f the; prongs transverse to the hub axis, an 5 improved clevis pin and:- holder, saidltpin having a pin, retaining hole transverse to.-: its, axis and, said-1 holder being; made of.- a

singie-piecept spring wire,. one end. of which, is

formed into:a-,-clevis,-hmbgr p in means in the fonmuofamhelical. coil-spring-havingan inside diameter slightly lesssthangthe-coutside diameter of: said lhub 1 ands/as length "substantially; as long as the-hub, the mid .=ponti0n-.-of said wire adiar cent the: end, coil; otsaidspring, being. formed intoeaisingle loop, theaxisr-of-t which is normal tocthe helical coil spring-axis, and the remainder otitheswi-resbeing extended tosformsaecantilever' spring substantially" parallel, to the helical coil spring axis, through the transverse pinrretaini- ,holeein';theeclevisspin and then having -the end ,pprtion ifcrmedr-into. a manual-ly engageable thumbrpieceeofra size which willprevent the pin. beingi removed from-the holder.-

2.. .For use with a--:clevis=of .r the eclassa having ,a hub with ,an annular: rib. around one end-,and a two pronged :fOIkr. extending gsubstantially in an axial directiomiromethevother: end, and havin clevis:- pineholess'extendingdhrough the free ends portion of said wire adjacent the end coil of said spring being formed into a, single loop, the axis of which: is,-normal to the spring axis, and the remainder of the wire being extended in cantilever -fashion substantially parallel to the spring axis, through the transverse hole in the clevis pm.

3: For1use'with-a'clevis of the kind having a huhwith-a'two'pronged fork extending substantiallyinanaxial direction, from one end, and having clevis pin holes. extending, through the freeendslofjthe prongs transverse to the hub axis, an improved clevis pin and holder, said pin having a hole transverse to its. axis-and said holder being made of'a single piece of spring 'wire, one end, of which is vformed into a hub gripping; means in the form; ofa helical coil spring having an inside diameter slightly less than. the outside diameter of said huband a length"substantially-as long as said hub, and the other-portion'ofthe wire being so formed that itextends as a cantilever spring substantially parallel to the helical coil spring axis, through the transversehole in the clevis pin and then-having the endportion bent into a shape which" prevents its removal from said pin.

4. Peruse-witha-cle'vis havinga hub at one end, and anopening' fora' clevis=pin at the other end; an improved clevis pin and holder, said *pinhaving a-hole transverse to its axis and said holderbeing ;made of "a singlepiece of helical coil spring wire, one end ofwhich is formed into a spring gripping means adapted to tightly encircle the hub ofsaid clevis and'thereby fasten the holder to the hub-without other support, and the other end ofthe wirebeing-so formed into acantilever spring that it extends substantially"parallel to'th'e hub axis, and through the transverse hole in the clevis pin.

55- For use with: a standardclevis having a clevis' pin opening extending transversely through one end, an improved 1 clevis pin and holder, said pin having a means for permanentattachment to. said holder andsaid holder having-aw helical coil 1 springgripping means at one end adapted togencirclea part'of said clevis andattachsaid holder'to said'clevis without other means of support, azresilientmeans betweensaid spring and said pinfor holding said pin-in the'clevis,- and a manual means for withdrawing: said pin 1 against the resistancev of said resilient means.

CHARLES-gW. HOL'I'MAN; 

